branch 1 of 2

noun

ˈbranch How to pronounce branch (audio)
Definition of branchnext
1
as in limb
a major outgrowth from the main stem of a woody plant I loved climbing among the branches of that old tree

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in affiliate
a local unit of an organization a bank with many neighborhood branches

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3
as in tributary
a stream that flows into a larger body of water the Blue Nile, the Atbara, and the White Nile are the three primary branches of the Nile River

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in department
a large unit of a governmental, business, or educational organization the two branches of the U.S. Congress

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branch

2 of 2

verb

as in to radiate
to extend outwards from or as if from a central point threads branched from the center of the spider web

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of branch
Noun
These businesses tended to follow a common model, with a large retail main shop, second-hand and antiquarian outlets and branches near colleges or hospitals. — Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026 And if this was any other branch, that would probably be true. — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
Through a particular sequence of such branching decisions, Waddington argued, cells specialize into their mature types, or fates, each expressing a particular set of genes. — Quanta Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026 Newer references now represent many different versions of the human genome through branching paths rather than forcing everyone’s DNA onto one template. — Euan Ashley, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for branch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for branch
  1. limb
  2. affiliate
  3. tributary
  4. department
  5. radiate
  6. cell
  7. agency
  8. stem
Noun
  • The clear frontrunner was Chris Brown, a 16-year-old multi-threat from Virginia who sang, rapped, and danced like his limbs were made of gas-station inflatables.
    — Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The horses panicked after a tree limb fell and hit the side of the wagon, ranch officials said on social media Saturday.
    — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of limb
Noun
  • The president spoke with a local Fox affiliate Sunday while on the ground in Port Huron, Michigan, ahead of a campaign rally for downballot Republicans.
    — Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In October of that year, IRG’s affiliate Access Restoration Services would write a $100,000 check to RPOF.
    — Kate Payne, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of affiliate
Noun
  • One solution is to pay water users upstream, who draw from the same tributary rivers, to adopt conservation practices that let more water reach the lake.
    — Silvia Console Battilana, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The altitude offers incredible vistas of the wetlands that border the Tanana River, one of the largest tributaries of the mighty Yukon.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of tributary
Noun
  • To accommodate those patients who’ve been admitted but don’t have a room, the hospital has installed dozens of beds in what was once the emergency department’s waiting room and in adjacent spaces.
    — Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The local police department is conducting a criminal investigation into the events leading up to the collision and the actions of those involved, Kinnan said Wednesday.
    — Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of department
Verb
  • The antenna’s radiating surface would face downward, with a protective cover following the wing’s external contours.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • And then there’s an energetic quality, at times radiating light and other times shining it—with or without pulsing strobes—on others.
    — Laura Regensdorf, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of radiate
Noun
  • The team compared their system with the conventional AI Deep Q Network (DQN), which uses algorithms rather than brain cells.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026
  • One story involves an innocent coal miner, condemned to death in 1877, who left a handprint in his cell at the Carbon County Jail that no amount of sanding or paint has been able to erase.
    — Marcus Librizzi, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of cell
Noun
  • The Ebola outbreak that began in DR Congo is becoming a continental crisis after authorities initially underestimated its spread, the head of Africa’s public health agency told Semafor as new cases were reported as far afield as Nigeria.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Trump could direct federal agencies to adopt a different name for the Atlantic or Pacific.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of agency
Verb
  • McKinney touts the city attorney’s prosecutor role as a means to stem quality-of-life crimes and curb homelessness.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • At the request of a coalition of local governments, Central District Health announced Friday plans to spend up to $250,000 on a mix of mapping, trapping and testing possible solutions to stem the spread of rodents through the county.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of stem

Phrases Containing branch

Browse Nearby Words

brambly
branch
branched
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Cite this Entry

“Branch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/branch. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about branch

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